Meet Our 2017 Fantastic B Corps!

This year, we launched a special series on our blog dedicated to a much-beloved legal entity: B Corps! Fantastic B Corps is a salute to the small businesses and entrepreneurs that form B Corporations, for-profit companies that also meet standards of social and environmental accountability and performance.

And not one, not two, but 20 companies from all over the United States shared the story of their road to becoming a B Corp on the MyCorp blog. Here are snippets of those conversations.

“Maintaining our B Corp status challenges us to become the company we want to be and to always think about how we are affecting the environment, the community, our employees and our customers.” — Michelle Stevens | The Refill Shoppe | Ventura, CA

“We’ve always viewed business as one tool in the toolbox for change.” — Kate Jakubas + Mike Mayer | Meliora Cleaning Products | Chicago, IL

“We pride our business on cultivating an environment where our employees are happy to come to work and love what they do.” — Stephanie Carter + Lenya Shore | Wallaroo Hat Company | Boulder, CO

“Think about what you can do to disrupt the dominant paradigm, how you can incorporate your values into the culture of your organization, and how you can create partnerships and alliances in your local community.” — Kevin Brown | Smart Set | Minneapolis, MN

“A commitment to doing business the right way will have long-lasting, far-reaching impacts each and every day.” — Don Martin | Bloomin | Boulder, CO

“Daily choices and business decisions are guided by our mission and our commitment to pursue practices that respect humanity and the environment.” — Meg Carlson | Prosperity Organic Foods | Boise, ID

“We just keep going, doing what we believe is right for our people and our clients.” — Andy Crestodina + Barrett Lombardo | Orbit Media | Chicago, IL

“We believe businesses will change their corporate structure to become socially responsible.” — Pooneh Ramezani DDS + Paris Sabo MD | Dr. Brite | Irvine, CA

“As an entrepreneur, if having a positive impact on society is part of your Why, then joining the B Corp community is a significant step towards fulfilling your purpose.” — Kelly Dolan + Michael Kroeger | Thrive Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH

“Luckily, we have movements like the B Corporation and it’s incredibly exciting to see its tremendous growth and to have opportunities to make a big difference.” — Graham Casden | Ocean First | Boulder, CO

“… a mission and values that make a difference… This is what brings hope, this is what will sustain the future of the movement.” — Jim and Donna Stein | The Road Less Traveled | Chicago, IL

“We put the planet and people over profits.” — Jarod Hadaway | Last Triumph | Minneapolis, MN

“This way of thinking is the future. One day it won’t be a movement; it will just be.” — Stephanie Hepburn | Good Cloth, New Orleans, LA

“We love that our entire team is united in the belief that our business can be a force for good.” — Lindsay Mullen + Alyssa Conrardy | Prosper Strategies | Chicago, IL

“Businesses are starting to look beyond profits and rather look to have a positive impact.” — Elizabeth Stein | Purely Elizabeth | Boulder, CO

“Being a B Corp is baked into our legal charter.” — Russ Stoddard | Oliver Russell | Boise, ID

“Life is too short and the world too messed up to not align our businesses with a greater positive purpose.” — Michael Hoffman | See3 | Chicago, IL

“The B Corp structure gives people an opportunity to formally align their intentions of doing good with their business practices.” — Kathy Selders + Marchelle Sellers | Charity on Top | Pasadena, CA

“Starting this business was all about ‘doing good’ from day one.” — Mason Israel | Help2Heal | Boulder, CO

“Perhaps one day we won’t even need the designation of ‘B Corp.’ Companies will be good citizens that exist to improve the world. Period.” — Jill Pollack | StoryStudio Chicago | Chicago, IL

Do you own a B Corp that you want featured on our blog? Reach out to us by emailing Heather Taylor at htaylor@mycorporation.com!

Interested in incorporating your business as a B Corp? Give us a call at 1-877-692-6772, or visit us at mycorporation.com.

Deborah Sweeney

Deborah Sweeney is an advocate for protecting personal and business assets for business owners and entrepreneurs. With extensive experience in the field of corporate and intellectual property law, Deborah provides insightful commentary on the benefits of incorporation and trademark registration.

Education: Deborah received her Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees from Pepperdine University, and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of West Los Angeles and San Fernando School of Law in corporate and intellectual property law.

Experience: After becoming a partner at LA-based law firm, Michel & Robinson, she became an in-house attorney for MyCorporation, formerly a division in Intuit. She took the company private in 2009 and after 10 years of entrepreneurship sold the company to Deluxe Corporation. Deborah is also well-recognized for her written work online as a contributing writer with some of the top business and entrepreneurial blogging sites including Forbes, Business Insider, SCORE, and Fox Business, among others.

Fun facts/Other pursuits: Originally from Southern California, Deborah enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons, Benjamin and Christopher, and practicing Pilates. Deborah believes in the importance of family and credits the entrepreneurial business model for giving her the flexibility to enjoy both a career and motherhood. Deborah, and MyCorporation, have previously been honored by the San Fernando Valley Business Journal’s List of the Valley’s Largest Women-Owned Businesses in 2012. MyCorporation received the Stevie Award for Best Women-Owned Business in 2011.